What You Have Become
by sandra8722
Summary: Klaus retaliates by taking Elena. What happened next was something no one could have predicted. Rated M for later chapters


Disclaimer. I don't own Vampire Diaries and I am not making any profit of this story. It is just for fun. Please don't sue me.

To my lovely readers,

I have been getting messages requesting that I continue with this story. So I am back.

I am putting all the chapters together and fixing some big plot and grammar errors. Spelling is not my strong suit.

I will add some new stuff and continue on with the story from there.

If you notice anything missing or that doesn't make sense let me know.

Again reviews always give me inspiration

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><p>What You Have Become<p>

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><p>Klaus woke gasping for air that he didn't need. Everything was a blur. He didn't know where he was or how he got here. As his heart rate slowly calmed everything came back to him in pieces.<p>

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><p><em>Stefan had stolen his siblings. Klaus was afraid, an emotion that he had avoided since he was human. It was true that he had daggered his siblings on more than one occasion over the centuries. However, the separation was to be temporary. He promised himself that once Michael was dead they would all be reunited.<em>

_Now he feared the separation would become permeant. This was not allowed to happen. The cruse was broken, he was invincible and there was nothing in creation could hurt him and yet, Stefan had found a way to make him feel fear._

_Klaus was consumed with a rage that dispensed all rational thought. All he knew was someone would pay dearly. Eventually the prefect counter move came to him. Stefan had stolen from him. In turn he would steal from Stefan. So Klaus took the one thing that was irreplaceable to him. He took Elena._

_The deal was simple. Stefan would return his siblings and he would let Elena go. Obliviously Stefan's life would obliviously be forfeit. No one that crosses Klaus could be allowed to live. However, he would be able to die knowing he protecting the love of his life. It was the only logical solution._

_What Klaus did not foresee was Stefan's indifference to. Of course, Stefan wanted Elena back but he didn't NEED her back. Stefan's efforts to find her were half hearted. Klaus suspected they were promoted by his brother Damon rather then real desire for Elena's' return. It was irony at its finest. Klaus had made Stefan turn off his emotions; now it was that very lack of emotion that was preventing the return of his siblings._

_What followed was three years of threats and the ultimate game of cat and mouse._

_He took Elena away and hid her from any would-be heroes. At first he thought she would be useful against Stefan. So he kept her close and slowly built up a stock pile of her blood. If he could not have his siblings than, by god he would have his army. He ignored her presence for the most part. Compelled her to stay hidden the house._

_Klaus kept her, even after he took enough blood to turn thousands into hybrids. He thought of killing her but for some reason he held back. If she died, it would be at a time and place of his choosing._

_He kept her, even after it became obvious that Stefan would not be swayed._

_The whispers of hybrids eventually reached pack leaders. Klaus had steadily been building his army for a year and half when he was told of the summit. Pack leaders from across the continent were meeting. The wolves were planing an attack. It was of little concern to Klaus. His numbers had reached near a hundred. He was untouchable._

_Things were becoming steadily more and more complicated with Elena. When he took her, he never thought she would become a long-term guest. He couldn't let her go until without losing face. However if he was honest with himself, the reasons for keeping her have gone way beyond saving his reputation. It was becoming more obvious that she was going to be permeant part of his life. To make matters worse, Elena was still aging, an idea that made Klaus uncomfortable._

_It was almost three years too the day that he first took her when Klaus heard of the Cates pack in Northern Canada. They were no more than twenty wolves, easily over powered. They would be the prefect addition to his army. He took Tyler and 4 other hybrids to deal with them._

_While the town was quiet, the forest was alive. They tracked the pack to the edge of the national park they gathered in. Things were going smoothly with two werewolves already in transition when Klaus caught the scent. There were more wolves nearby. A lot more. It was a trap._

_Klaus quickly gave the order to stop and take up flanking positions. The hybrids obeyed without question. Klaus stayed in the center with the two werewolves in transition listening to his enemies make their way closer. The Packs of North America had come to make there last stand._

_Klaus wanted to laugh at them. He couldn't be killed. What did they think they could accomplish? As they approached Klaus caught the scent of humans among the wolves. The closer they got he picked put the sounds of chanting. Witches. If his mother taught him anything, it was witches were capable of horrible things and could always find a loophole in nature._

_Things happened very quickly after that. The two werewolves woke up re-born, Klaus quickly pored Elena's blood down their throats. Their change was quick and painful. Coming out of the daze of transformation they automatically look to him, waiting for their Alpha to take charge. Before Klaus could reflect on the benefits of siring his own army he felt the forest move around them._

_He looked at his two new hybrids, "Kill everything" Klaus order quietly._

_Dozens of wolves came through the trees silently and attacked with no mercy. Klaus had no difficulty killing them. One after the other they just kept coming. He tore into the throats of those that attacked him. The blood on his face and clothes glowed black in the moonlight. He felt alive with his hybrid brethren fighting beside him. During a lull in the fighting, when his attackers were attempting to regroup and remove their wounded Klaus heard the chanting again. It was becoming louder and closer. The wolves were a distraction he realized. They were simply buying time for the witches._

"_Get the witches" Klaus roared to Tyler._

_Tyler and the other hybrids flew up the hill towards the chanting. Klaus rage increased ten fold. He didn't know what their goal was but he was not going to let it happen. He spotted a werewolf standing on the sidelines. He instinctively knew that this man was a alpha, organizing his troops during battle. His gaze landed on the alpha's jade green eyes. They turned yellow in a challenge. A challenge that Klaus was happy to accept._

_As they lunged for each other Klaus felt a heat spreading in his body. He tried to focus on the fight but the heat was increasing and spreading fast. It felt like he was burning alive. Just before the heat became all consuming he heard the chanting from the hill reach an unbearable level._

_Tyler did not get to the witches in time. Klaus fell to the ground and out of the corner of his eye he saw a fist heading toward his head. The last thing he saw was jade green eyes filled with rage. Then it all went black._

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><p>Klaus stayed still as his memories knitted themselves together. He knew he was in some kind of cellar or basement. The light steaming through the high window allowed him to see discarded household objects covered in dust and shadows. He didn't recognized the place but at the same time, there was something familiar about it. Where the hell was he? How long had he been unconscious?<p>

Hyper vigilant for any kind of threat Klaus slowly sat up. It only took a millisecond for him to sense another presence in the room. He look around searching for the source. There, siting at the bottom of a bookcase filled with damp cardboard boxes, he found a face with shadows dancing across it.

Klaus tried to speak but as soon as he opened his mouth the hunger hit . He was so hungry. He felt as if he hadn't eaten in decades.

"Elena?" he choked out as he rolled over.

"Guess again, Nicklaus"

He steadied his gaze on the source of the voice.

"Katerina"

Klaus griped at his stomach. The hunger was only intensifying. He couldn't keep his gaze on Katerina. He was weak and one should never be weak in front of this woman, especially him.

"There is blood in the coolers be side you" Katherine informed him. He couldn't take the time to be cautious, the hunger was all consuming. He sped over too the row of medal coolers, ripped the off the lids and began to bite into the bags of blood. Bag after bag, cooler after cooler, he consumed everything in front of him.

Finally the hunger started to fade. Half his body was covered in blood. Klaus was seriously considering licking his hands clean when he remembered that he wasn't alone in the room. He looked up and found Katherine leaning on the bookcase watching him with a weary exception. He sped towards her at a speed that even she couldn't follow. He grabbed her throat and lifted her of the ground. "Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't kill you"

Katherine feet struggled to find the ground as she tried to to pry Klaus hands away. "Because I have been protecting you for the past decade"

Klaus tilted his head, his fingers leaving a trial of blood across her throat "Forgive me for having doubts about that."

"Its the truth and I am the only one that can tell you where you have been for the past 70 years. I know what happened to you" Katherine gasped as she tried to loosen his hand around his neck.

Klaus stared at with his unreadable eyes as he tried to gage the truth of her statement. After the longest moment of her life he finally dropped her to the floor. As soon as she was free Katherine sped to the other side of the room beside the stairs, desperate to put some distance between them. Trying to catch her breath she turned to face Klaus.

"Running away already, love?"

"Not this time," Katherine declared looking him dead in the eye. She threw him towel that was hanging on the stairs railing. "There is a bathroom at the end of the hall. Get cleaned up and come up stairs. This is going to be a long conversation."

Katherine speed up the stairs before he could reply. Klaus loathed the way she was attempting to boss him around but he couldn't argue that he was in desperate need of answers. And a shower.

He followed her directions and soon realized that he was in the Salvatore boarding house. Damon's scent lingered in the air. He he took in the details around him and his blood ran cold as he noticed an old calendar on the wall. The date 2056 and the paper was faded and worn out. This was much bigger problem than he anticipated.

As he came up the stairs he came face to face with a small woman who couldn't be more than 20 years old. She almost looked relieved to see him. As Klaus moved past her a very specific scent hit him. She was a hybrid. Shocked he turned to her and asked the first question that came to mind. "What is your name?

The look of relief she was giving him turned into a smile. She was obviously happy at his attention. "Ruth. My name is Ruth ," she paused waiting for a reply. When none came she continued "You turned me in Seattle"

Klaus stared blankly at her as he tried to piece things together. He was an expert at hiding his emotions. When she realized that he wasn't going to respond, Ruth's face fell and she gestured behind her " They are down they hall."

Klaus was too stunned to reply. As he made his way into the pallor he was greeted by the slight of Damon and Katherine If any two vampires had reason to want him dead, it would was these two. To see them calmly waiting for him to enter the room was unnerving.

"And the King returns." Damon said holding up hold up is glass in a mock salute as Klaus entered the room. From the sofa Katherine rolled her eyes at him then turned to Klaus. "I would assume that you have questions."

"Naturally" Klaus replied diving right in it to the thick of it. "What year is it?"

"2089," Katherine replied. "You have been...gone for 74 years."

Klaus felt like he had been punched in the gut. "How?"

"Michael," answered Damon in a of fact manner. "Apparently, he had a back up plan incase you killed him. I must say he was a clever bastard. I can see why you wanted him dead"

Realizing that his attempts at jest were not being well received, Damon hurried things along. "Apparently when he was off whittling the stake from the white oak tree. He took a piece of the wood and gave it to the leader of the Cates pack. Michael figured if he failed the werewolves would have no choice but too unite against you. He just gave them the weapon that would tip the scales in their favor. "

Klaus sat down in the leather chair as he tried to absorb this information. Even after death, Michael had was still trying tp ruin his life. Damon went to the bar and filled a glass with a mixture of blood scotch and handed it to him. Klaus, stunned, stared at the drink as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

"Then how is it I am sitting here now?" Klaus finally ask.

Katherine glanced at Damon and look passed between them. Klaus saw it and knew instantly they were hiding something and he would find out what.

"The piece of white oak was never meant to be lethal. We don't know why. Maybe Michael didn't like the idea of a weapon that could permanently kill an original floating around in the world." Katherine answered "We can't exactly ask him what his motives were. But, even a piece that small could put an Original down for a millennium at the least."

"Where is it now? Klaus asked

"It was destroyed when you were found." Damon replied.

Klaus's eyebrows went up at that. "Forgive me Damon if I don't believe that you would willing destroy any weapon that could harm me."

Damon smirked at that "You don't have to believe it because I didn't destroyed it"

He looked at Katherine who was shaking her head, "It wasn't me either."

"So the weapon was destroyed when I was found. And when and where exactly was that?" He asked.

"We don't know" they said at the same time

Klaus glared and his eyes flashed yellow. "Testing my patience at this time would not be wise."

"We didn't find you." Katherine said quickly "We helped get the information needed and the general location. Then your hybrids stepped in. They wouldn't even let us get close to you.,"

"Speaking of the hybrids, who is the girl in the hall?" Klaus asked.

"Shouldn't you know?" Damon replied. "I mean, strictly speaking you are the one that made her."

"I turned a number during that time." Klaus said turning his gaze on Damon "But that still doesn't answer my question."

Damon took a sip of his drink. "Was that the time when you were keeping Elena as a house pet?"

Klaus flew at Damon pining him against the wall. Damon struggled but he was nothing compared to a hybrid. Let alone the Original Hybrid that he had just royally pissed off.

Klaus waited till Damon stopped moving, then slowly let his fangs graze along his neck. "I will not give you another warning. Now, Katerina if you would be so kind as to explain."

Damon slowly walk out of reach and sought refuge on the other side of the room. Klaus leaned against the wall and raised his eyebrows at Katherine.

"We had no idea what happened until about three years after your confrontation with the Cates pack. There were rumors but, there are always rumors about you. Then Tyler showed up asking about witches. He showed up saying he needed to know about the major bloodlines. He knew that Damon had ties with certain families and wanted information about the others. We helped."

Klaus smirked at that. "Katerina, love. You honestly want me to believe that you worked for my return. Come now, I may have been out of the game for a while but I am still eons ahead of you."

"Its true Klaus." She paused trying to gather her thoughts. " I have spent my whole life running from you. When I thought you were dead, I was forced to look at what I did to survive. That was all I was trying to do when I fled 500 years ago. I was just trying to survive. Surly if anyone could understand that it would be you."

After a moment Klaus respond,"And now you want me to forgive your past indiscretions and spare your life in exchange for giving out a few addresses?" He smiled at Katherine. "I don't think that is going to cut it."

" It was a little more complicated than that. Witches are a fickle bunch and most don't like to deal with vampires at all. It took years to get certain information." She turned looked at Damon. "I have have made amends with the things I have done. There will be no more running for me." She paused and look Klaus straight in the eye "It isn't worth it."

Off all the vampires that have crossed from him, Klaus always admired Katerina the most. She made no apologies for her actions and never would. She was like him in that respect. The notion that she would willing surrender herself was troubling.

He felt a sense of loss that he couldn't explain. The chance to capture the ultimate prey was gone. He had been gone 70 years. He wondered if this is what Rebecca felt when she woke. With that thought he turned to Damon. "Where are they?"

There was no question as to who 'they' were and Damon tensed. This was dangerous territory. If he had learned anything, it was all the Originals were very sensitive about family. "We don't know. Stefan pretty much disappeared after Elena was..." Damon look up at Klaus and back peddled fast. "After Elena left town."

With the mention of Elena's name a thick and heavy silence feel around them. Klaus and Damon stared at each other in a battle of wills.

Sensing trouble Katherine took the opportunity to distract Klaus from by continuing with the story. "He showed up after few decades. The hybrids had been chasing him around the world, on your orders no doubt. They were out for his blood. When he realized that some of them kept an eye on Mystic Falls he took off. He hasn't been back since."

Klaus stomach clenched. _They were still gone._

Klaus looked between the vampires in front of him. "It would seem that there are a few holes in your tale"

They both nodded at that and Damon spoke first "We only know our part in things. Ruth and the others can fill you in on the rest."

It was painful but Klaus could see that they were telling the truth. At the very least, he knew that the hybrids could be trusted, having remained so loyal even in his absence. As if sensing his wish to speak with her, Ruth appeared in the door way.

Klaus made a move to stand but thought better of it. He turned back to Katherine and Damon. They were keeping something from him. Klaus could smell it.

"Tell me then, is there anything else I should know." He spoke slowly and putting an emphasis on each word. If they lied now, he would end them.

They at each other having a conversation with their eyes. Klaus could almost feel the words passing between them. At Damon's nod Katharine turned to him.

"Elena is a vampire"

Klaus couldn't move. The muscles in his back and arm tensed. His heart started to pound. Every hair on his body rose and his mouth watered, as anticipation filled his blood.

"I see" Klaus paused unsure of what to do next. He wanted to know everything. When, how and why. As the logic of the statement set in, a slow heat began to rise in his gut. It make no sense but he was on the edge of losing all control. Klaus managed to growl out the question that he wanted answered the most "Who?

_Who had touched what was his?_

Damon and Katherine were slowly moving away from him. As if they instinctively knew that something had changed.

"Well.." Damon paused and took a breath to steady himself "You."

Klaus saw red.

Klaus sped over to Damon grabbing his throat and pining him against the wall. Has he been gone for so long that they have forgotten who he is? What he is? He squeezed hard and had very intention literally of ripping Damon's head off.

Katherine came up behind him trying desperately to get Klaus to break his grip. He threw her across the room easily. She would be next. He wanted to her see Damon die before he killed her.

Then he felt arms wrap around his waist and was thrown away from Damon. Klaus turned fast and saw Ruth blocking his path. He moved to step around her, but she followed. He was surprised. The girl could keep up with him, at least for a few minutes. He knew it only matter of time before she missed stepped but he was in no mood for games. He looked straight at her, eyes flashing yellow. "You dare defy me?"

Ruth froze under his glare and couldn't move. Instead she dropped to her knees and exposed her neck. " That was not my intent. I was told that I could not to let you forget that you had given your word that you would not harm him. I didn't mean to defy you. My life is yours."

Klaus stared at the girl who was exposing her neck to him. Something felt right about it on a primal level. He was alpha, he bowed to no one. "Who told you this?"

"Elena Gilbert."

He knew what Ruth was speaking of. It was just a short- term measure to insure obedience but, he never thought he would have to honour the agreement. Still he remembered the conversation as if it was yesterday.

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><p><em>Aside from the first few days, Elena never tried to escape. It was futile anyway. There was no way she could get away from the hybrids. Get away from Klaus. He didn't mistreat her. For the most part he ignored her presence. Aside from a weekly blood donation she was pretty much able to do as she pleased. They were currently in the deep south somewhere. At least she thought they were. It was an old style plantation that reminded her of Gone With The Wind.<em>

_When Elena walked around the grounds she could almost let herself forget why she was here. She could lose herself in the scenery and scents of the garden. Almost. It was when she felt the eyes watching her from the shadows that she remembered. Whether it was Klaus or his hybrids watching she could never tell._

_In the beginning Elena convinced herself that it would be temporary. Stefan and Damon would ride in and take her away from this place. However as time went on Elena realized that wasn't going to happen. The hybrids didn't talk to her often. Apparently Stefan wasn't taking the bait the way that Klaus had predicted. After the second month Elena accepted that no one would be coming for her._

_She missed her home, missed her friends. She missed sleeping more than 20 minuets at a time. She longed for her life to go back to normal, before her parents were killed. God, she missed them. She wished that they could tuck her into bed and tell her that it was all a bad dream. It was impossible but that didn't stop Elena from wanting it._

_Tyler was here, her only connection to her old life. He looked at her with pity, maybe even guilt when they saw each other on the grounds. The look disappeared as soon as Klaus was around. Elena sometimes wondered if she reminded him of Caroline._

"_The damsel in distress" routine was getting old. It was time she took things into her own hands. She knew that escaping was pretty much impossible but she couldn't sit around and do nothing. Tonight was a full moon and even though the hybrids could control their changes, a lot of them couldn't resist the pull of the moon. They would be distracted. It was the only chance she had._

_She waited until 1:30 in the morning to make her move. Elena moved through the house as quietly as she could. The hybrids were out running in the forest that surrounded the property. Elena prayed that Klaus was with them._

_The moonlight bathed everything in sight. She stuck as close to the house as she could. It took forever to get to the garage. Elena's heart was pounding the whole time. Every step she took sounded like thunder to her ears. She slipped in through the side door and looked around for the keys for truck._

_It was a crapy old ford truck that no one ever used. The only visitors that came here didn't need cars. She wasn't picky, she just wanted out. Despite her shaking hands Elena somehow managed to get the keys in the ignition. She took a deep breath and turned the key._

_The headlights turned on and she saw Klaus standing in front of the truck, wearing nothing put a pair of jeans. She swallowed the scream that work its was up her throat. His head tilted to the side as he watched her and then he smiled. A truly terrifying sight. Before she could even work up a good scream he was in the seat next to her. "Going somewhere, love?"_

_Elena couldn't move. She couldn't even breath, she was shaking so hard. Klaus just kept on smiling at her. He put his hands on the dashboard and leaned forward in his seat. "You know, I was wondering when you were going to make a run for it. You were being much too cooperative for my liking. Poor choice though, running on a full moon. My brothers have trouble not chasing a pretty little thing on a night like this." He turned to face her "And we wouldn't anything to happen to you, would we?"_

_Elena didn't look at him. If he used his compulsion now, she would never get away. She kept her gaze firmly on the floor. Why wasn't he wearing shoes? How can someone that ripped her life apart so easily walk around in his bear feet? It was too casual for someone like him. For something like him. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on what he was saying._

_He leaned in to her, "So tell me love, where were you going to go? Do you honestly think there is somewhere on this earth I wouldn't follow you?"_

"_Home. I just want to go home." Elena whisper._

_Klaus stretched in his seat and draped his arm behind Elena shoulders. "Well that would have been another mistake. You aren't really good at all this are you? That would be the first place I would look for you. When Katrina ran, I visited her home. I am sure she told you how that story ended."_

_She took a deep breath. How could have she ever thought this would work? Tears swelled in her eyes. She couldn't cry. Not in front of him. "What if it doesn't work?"_

"_If what doesn't work, love?" Klaus asked in a casual tone as if he talking about nothing more important then weather._

_Elena could feel his gaze on her as she tried to steady her nerves. "This thing you are trying to do with Stefan. He should have fallen for it by now. What if he never tells you where they are? Are you going to keep me here forever? Hold me prisoner until old age and then bleed me dry?"_

_She was close to crying. She turned her head towards the window, hiding her face from him. Klaus wouldn't have though and gripped her chin turning her to him. Too close. He was much to close. Elena kept her gaze on his collar bone. Why couldn't he wear a shirt?_

_"You are mine, Elena. You have always been mine. When you were born, your life was mine for the taking. You can not escape this by running home to hide under you bed. Katrina tried to run and look what happened. Anything and everything that happens to you will be because I will it to happen."_

_Elena felt her rage boil over. Her feelings meant nothing to him and that just enraged her further. She met his gaze. "I am not Katherine."_

_She didn't back down under the weight of his eyes. Klaus's eyes flashed yellow as he leaned closer to her "I know that, Elena" Klaus leaned in and grazed his mouth by her neck. She tensed expecting him to bite her. His scent was overwhelming and she couldn't think. After a long moment Klaus came back into her sight. "No. You are much more breakable"_

_This was it. He was going to kill her. She froze. She couldn't breath. Suddenly Klaus moved back into his seat as if nothing had happened "Now, what are we going to do about this then, my dear?" Klaus just turned to look at her and raised his eyebrows in question. Elena gasped for air trying to slow her heart. When she didn't respond, he smiled at her._

"_Well, I for one don't want anymore midnight strolls. Don't want you have an accident. So tell me what will it take for you to stay put like a good girl?"_

_Elena was stunned at his question. He was making a deal with her? That didn't make any sense. "Why don't you just compel me to stay?"_

_Klaus's smile widened and his gaze trailed down her body and back up to her eyes. Elena squirmed. She felt naked, exposed and vulnerable as he looked her over. Shame filled her. It had been so long since a man looked at her like that. Or even looked at her at all. "Now where would the fun be in that?"_

"_Anything?"_

"_Within reason"_

_The choice was simple. It was the same as it has always been. "Promise me that you will never hurt anyone I love. Including Stefan."_

_Klaus didn't even bother looking at her. "Don't get cocky, Stefan has already signed his fate."_

"_Fine." Elena felt her stomach drop. She knew that already but it still hurt to hear it. "Everyone else I love. You wouldn't hurt them or use them in a plot to draw Stefan out."_

"_Anything else?"_

_Elena could believe it. He was offering her more? "Let me call home once and awhile. Just so they know I am ok?" She knew this was a long shot but she had to try._

"_We have a deal then" Klaus opened his door and sped over to Elena's side. He opened it for her and raised his hand. She took it._

"_Wait a minute. Just like that? No tricks?"_

_Klaus smiled and look down at her. When did he get so tall? He face turned serious. "You have my word. As long as you stay. I will not bring harm to anyone you care for."_

_Elena looked at him trying to find some sign that he was lying. His face was impossible to read as always. He led her to the front of the house and opened the door for her. She nodded at him and stepped into the house._

_She turned back to him "Could.." She trailed off when she saw that he had been watching her walk away._

"_Could what, sweetheart?" Klaus mocked_

_Elena knew she should quit when she was ahead but she didn't want to back down in front of him. " Next time, can we stay in a place where there is a little more to do. I know you are busy with world domination or whatever. But you wouldn't want me to die of boredom now, would you?"_

_Klaus gave a full throated laugh and shook his head in amusement. "Get some sleep darling, you and I both know you need it" With that he turned away. Elena ascended the stairs. It was the first time she was able to sleep through the night._

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><p>Klaus stared at Ruth. Trying to clam down. Katharine was trying to get Damon to take her blood. Klaus turned from her and strolled over to the chair. "Explain. All of you."<p>

Damon was finally taking to Katharine's wrist when she spoke. "Three years after you disappeared, Damon and Caroline were at the boarding when out of the blue, Elena and Tyler showed up. They needed help with finding the witches. They told us if we didn't help them every hybrid in the world would descend on Mystic Fall and rip it apart."

"How could they get hybrids to obey their orders?" Klaus looked at Ruth, who was still kneeling with her eyes on the floor. She looked up when she felt his gaze.

"When you were gone. It was insane. It was like our compass was gone or something. No one had any control. You were the one thing that held everyone line. Maybe if we had more experience, it might have been different... Our baser instincts took control and the fighting started. Everyone was vouching for position and territory. A lot of us died during those first couple of years. We destroyed everything and entire towns got caught in the cross fire."

Ruth was momentarily lost in her memories before she took a deep breath and continued. "Then about three years later I felt the call in my blood. It was like you were calling us. It was unmistakable and impossible to resist. I followed it to northern New York state. Tyler was there. He must have figured a way to call the pack in your absence. He is the oldest and strongest one that survived the infighting. He told us that you were alive but incapacitated. The reaction was instantaneous. Even just knowing you were alive was enough to stop the fighting."

"Was Elena with him?"

"Not at the first. When he came back a few days later she was with him."

Klaus was still not happy with these answers. Nothing fit together. "Get up. I didn't create you to lie on the floor like dog." Ruth obeyed and moved to the door way, still keeping her eyes down.

Klaus turned to Damon, who was just returning toward of the living. "What did Elena and Tyler want from you?"

Damon looked up at him "They wanted me to kill Elena."

Klaus looked at him weighing his words. Trying to separate his emotions from his thought process. "I am assuming you complied?"

"I couldn't." Damon said shaking his head. " Tyler said he couldn't harm Elena because of an order you gave. It fell to Caroline."

"You let an infant vampire turn her. Are you insane?" It was a know fact that a vampire couldn't turn another person until they were at least 50 years old. Their blood wasn't stable enough.

Damon tried to sit up "No, she just snapped her neck. Elena had already ingested your blood. Tyler left while we were waiting for Elena to change. He came back with Bonnie and some guy. Elena woke up and killed the guy like it was nothing."

"Bonnie was there to provide a ring then?"

Katharine answered "It wasn't needed." Klaus raised his eyebrows.

Damon answered his silent question. "I saw it myself. After she turned she walked right into the sun. Like she knew it wasn't going to burn her."

"Then why bring Bonnie?"

"Tyler compelled Bonnie to preform a spell that would block hybrids from entering the boarding house without an invention. Elena said it was the only protection she could offer. After that Elena, Tyler and Coraline left. The hybrids came around a few decades latter to see if we had found anything about the witches. They must have been tracking down the ones that went against you. We didn't see Caroline, Tyler or Elena until eleven years ago when they dropped you here and asked us to play crept keeper." Damon said as he made his way to the bar.

"Elena brought me here?" Klaus asked to no-one in particular.

"Yup. Even made us invite two of you pack brothers in to keep an eye on you. Isn't she a peach?"

Klaus left the boarding house and headed to the forest. Ruth trailing at his heels. He needed to think. The forest was alive and glowing in the moonlight. He stood still contemplating the information he was given. The answers he was getting didn't fit together. He was confused, frustrated and angry all at the same time.

He had completed his life's ambition and broken the cruse. He had become everything he was born to be. He killed Michael. But even in death, he still managed to take his revenge. Klaus almost wished that he was still alive. So he could kill him again. Only much more slowly.

_Elena_

She was at the center of all this. It was only fitting he mused. She was the key to breaking the curse. A task he had been obsessed with for over a thousand years. He had been pushed and pulled back from the brink of destruction. From what he could put together Elena was the force behind his awakening. Maybe if he listen hard enough to the wind, it could whisper the answers he so desperately needed.

Why? After everything he had done to her. Why would she bring him back?

* * *

><p><em>After the conversation in the truck, things got easier for Elena. She could tolerate living here if it kept her love ones safe. Klaus had never done anything that made her believe that he would keep his word. Yet for some inexplicable reason she trusted that he would. She was finally able to sleep through the night.<em>

_Tyler approached her first. It was about a week after her escape attempted when she was making lunch._

"_Hey"_

_Elena looked up from the bacon she was frying and saw Tyler hovering by the kitchen doorway. "Hi"_

"_You making lunch?"_

_Elena looked down at the food and back up at Tyler. Wasn't that kind of obvious? "Ya, a BLT. You want one?"_

"_Ya sure" Tyler walked in and sat down in one of the chairs surrounding the kitchen island. Elena threw on some more bacon and looked up at Tyler, waiting for him to say something. He was fidgeting and looked like he wanted to be somewhere else, anywhere else. Elena raised her eyebrows at him._

"_So look," he took a deep breath, "You know I would never hurt you right?"_

_Elena was surprised "Why would you say that?"_

"_Elena, I know that this situation is fucked up. Really fucked. I am sorry that you are caught up in the middle of it, but I can't do anything to change it" Tyler didn't look at her, instead stared at the salt and pepper shakers as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world. " You have been looking at me like you were scared of me or something. I hate it. So I wanted you too know that I would never hurt you."_

"_Tyler. I was scared of being here, not you. I was scared for everyone at home. It was the not knowing that was killing me" she explained._

_Tyler looked up and Elena smiled at him tentatively. "Good" He turned to leave._

"_Ty, wait." Elena paused unsure of how to continue. She didn't want to piss off the only person that was talking to her. "What is like? Being a hybrid, I mean."_

_Tyler smiled "Amazing,"_

_Seeing Elena skeptical look he continued, "Really. Before I was so scared of my changes. Of the Moon. The pain. Nothing made sense when I was a werewolf." Tyler laughed bitterly "I couldn't even wrap my head around it. Then Klaus changed me and everything made sense. I wasn't scared anymore because the pain was gone."_

"_And the whole sired my Klaus thing doesn't bother you?"_

"_Not really. I know he has done horrible things to you. I am not expecting you to like the guy, let alone forgive him. But you should know that he isn't all that bad. He really takes his time with us. Helping us work on our control and the hunger. Especially the younger one."_

"_The younger one?"_

"_Ya there was a 12 year girl hadn't even had two full moon under her belt before Klaus changed her. He spends a lot of time helping her understand what she is now."_

"_What about the lack of freewill?" Elena asked._

"_You sound like Caroline. It's not really like that at all. I have compelled people before and it isn't the same thing. If he asks me to do something, I can choose not to do it if I really want. It isn't like he goes around giving us orders all the time. Its more like a really intense parent-child relationship. I don't want to disappoint him, you know? That and I would die to protect him. I don't know another way to explain it"_

_Elena didn't really understand but she nodded anyway. "Tyler, I think you should know that Caroline felt really bad about the way she reacted when you tired to explain all this" She gestured to everything around her._

_Tyler look at her sharply, "How do you know that?"_

"_She called me the night before... well the night before all this started. Tyler, she was really up set. She couldn't even speak straight"_

"_What was she saying?" Tyler asked before he could stop himself. He felt weak for asking. He had spent the entire year convincing himself that it was over. That he could forget her._

"_She said that she did something stupid and you left. Kept asking me 'why did she let you leave? Why does she always do this?' It didn't really make sense at the time. Tyler, you know Caroline. She is terrified of being the second choice." Tyler nodded silently._

_Sensing a change in topic was in order Elena continued "Besides, I understand the confusion about the 'I would die for Klaus' mentality._

_Tyler laughed "Ya, that is probably why he keeps you around."_

_Elena froze. "What do you mean?"_

"_You are the only one here that doesn't look up to him. That wants to please probably wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire."_

_She stared an Tyler dumbfounded and he went further trying to get his point across. "Come on Elena, think about it. The plan to use you as leverage with Stefan is pretty much shot to hell. If he didn't want you around, he would have sent you home."_

"_Even if that was true, which it is not, he needs me around for my blood." Elena didn't know if she was trying to convince him or herself. Her mind drifted back to the night in the truck and Klaus's voice whispering in her ear._

"_What ever you need tell yourself." Tyler smiled at her when she couldn't come up with a witty comeback. Just then this girl came around the conner at supernatural speed._

"_Tyler! There you are!"_

_Tyler grabbed the girl around the waist. "Hey there Abby. You should slow down, you are going to hurt someone" The brown haired girl smiled up at Tyler, clearly infatuated with him. "Elena, this is Abby the one I was telling you about. Abby this is Elena."_

_Abby smiled at Elena. "Hi. I think I drank you blood at one point" Elena and Tyler both laughed at this. She went on, telling them about the dear she was chasing in the woods. She was so bold and carefree despite everything going on around her, Elena liked her immediately._

_Elena realized the bacon was going to burn. "So are you guys hungry ?"_

"_Always" They said in unionism._

_It was the first time Elena had fun since she was taken away from Mystic Falls._

* * *

><p>Eventually Klaus realized that the forest would yield nothing to him. He looked at Ruth, who was hovering behind him. It was time for answers. It was time the world remembered his name. He looked and the sky and howled.<p>

* * *

><p>The bar was crowed with corporate 20-somethings chilling after work. The air was stale, the seats were ripped and peanut shells covered the floor; The only thing the place had going for it was the drinks and food were cheap. And the music, a throw back to the 1920's jazz era.<p>

Plus it was great place to hunt.

At the back of the bar there were three friends laughing, talking and drinking together. They were a beautiful group. Men threw envious look at the guy in the trio. He had somehow captured the attention of two beautiful women. Their was something about them. They seemed more confidant, carefree and more dangerous then anyone that age should be.

Suddenly the man stopped talking, tilted his head to the side listen to a sound that no one else could hear.

"Tyler? What's wrong" Caroline asked putting a hand on his arm.

"He is awake" Tyler looked at her and then across to Elena. "He is awake. And he has called the pack"

Elena looked between Tyler and Caroline and stood up "I guess this is it then." She tossed back her drink, " I need someone to eat"

* * *

><p>They came forth one by one and by early dawn, the woods behind the boarding house were full of his hybrids. All of them anxious and excited by his return.<p>

He stayed by the lake away from continuous stream of 'so glad your back' and 'what do we do now'. The happiness of this reunion was drowned out by his anxiety about the one person not in the crowd.

Tyler wasn't here.

What if he was dead? Then the closest connection he had to finding Elena would be gone. Her face haunted him. Klaus had already spent 500 hundred perusing Katherine. He had no desire to continue the chase with Elena. He wanted her here, now. He wanted an explanation.

"Klaus?"

He turned and saw Abby walking up to him. She was smiling at him with tears in her eyes. She came right up to him and hugged him. "I am so glad your back. I missed you."

He was stunned for a moment than hugged her back. Out of all the hybrids, he was sure Abby was the only one that 'missed' him. The others followed by instinct not loyalty. It was different with her. Klaus had the sudden realization, that he had missed her too.

"Abby"

She pulled back and smiled at him. She was older now. Beyond the 12 year old girl he had taken under his wing. She still looked young, 15 at most, but her eyes were harder. He had been gone a long time.

* * *

><p><em>After Elena's introduction to the youngest pack member, the hybrids came around her more often. There was a steady stream of new faces coming and going everyday. However only Tyler, Abby, Jade and Adam were allowed in the house. She didn't know if it was Klaus's doing but she really didn't care. Elena wasn't sure she could call them friends; their lives still revolved around Klaus, but she was grateful for the company. Klaus stayed in the house as well but she never saw him.<em>

_Elena a played games, watched movies and got drunk with them. An activity that Abby was determined too take part in. Tyler was still broody over Caroline and Adam took her blood every week. Jade would tell tales of her sexual escapes with what seemed like every male member of the pack. Elena figured she could live vicariously though Jade. Given the circumstances she has having a pretty good time_

_She and Jade were siting by the pool while Adam was trying to teach Abby the finer points of football. The hybrid style._

"_So I vote in the future we black list any movie that Abby tries to make us watch" Jade said while flipping through a magazines. Elena smiled._

"_I second that" Adam yelled from the tree line. "I don't think I can stand anymore high school musicals"_

"_Hey! I liked that movie" Abby wined "Its better than all the boring action movies you pick"_

"_That hurts, Abby" Adam said grabbing the ball away from her and running to the other end of the yard._

"_You cheated. This is a stupid game. " Abby complained as she come up to sit with the girls._

_Adam chuckled and dove into the pool, coming up beside Abby and dragging her into the water. Abby's shrikes were soon replaced with laughter. Elena smiled. It was fun listening to them bicker. It almost reminded her of Bonnie and Caroline._

"_I want to play something different."_

"_Pray tell. Candyland perhaps?" Jade commented without even looking up._

"_No, smart ass. Hide and go seek," They all laughed. Abby could give as good as she got._

"_Sweetie, I think with our enhanced hearing and smell it would be a pretty quick game." Adam said while floating in the shallow end of the pool._

"_Not if we do it in teams. One of us will hide Elena and try and keep the other two from finding her"_

"_So what is this? Some deformed version of capture the flag?" Elena said looking up from her book. She caught Adam and Jade giving each other a nervous look. Elena felt her throat tighten a bit. Even if they never said anything, she knew they were here to keep an eye on her. Still, it was one thing to suspect it but different to see it in plain sight._

_Abby saw the look too. "Aww come on guys. We are in the middle of nowhere. It is not like anyone could get out of the woods. It goes on for miles."_

_It was true. The house they were staying at now was very remote, a true fortress. At least an hour from any form of civilization._

"_I guess we could..." Adam trailed off._

"_Excellent. I want to hide you first Elena. Is that ok with you? Klaus was showing me how to hide a trail last week. I want to see if I can actually do it." Abby said while running into the house to change._

_Within a few minuets Abby grabbed Elena and sped off at a supernatural speed. Everything was blur and Elena had to kept her eyes closed so she didn't throw up._

_Abby put her down and smiled up at her. "Ok I laid down a pretty good trail. Now I want to see if I can trip them up. So give me you sweater and you take mine. That way if they get the scent they won't know who it is"_

"_Ok. So Klaus taught you how to do this?" Elena couldn't help but ask._

"_Ya. He is really nice to me. The others just treat me like an annoying brat. He actually treats me like one of the big kids." Elena smiled at the 'big kid' comment. Abby wasn't as grown up as she pretended to be._

_Elena handed over her sweater and put Abby's over her head. They were standing by a stream deep in the woods, the sunlight dimmed by the branches over head. "So whats the plan now?"_

_Abby was practically jumping up and down she was so happy. "Ok, you smell like me and I smell like you. I am going to run around mixing our trails so they will get confused. You keep walking down the steam. Try and stay in the water a bit so it hides your trail."_

_She started walking the stream. She didn't think it would take to long for Adam and Jade to find her. As time passed Elena realized that she might have underestimated Abby's skill._

_It was nice having a moment alone. They had been moving around so often that the houses all seemed to blend together. Abby and the others had a talent for keeping her distracted so she really time to dwell on things. She knew Klaus was trying to track down more werewolves. To create more hybrids but to be honest she really didn't care anymore._

_She hadn't talked him since that night, she kept going over and over the conversation. She tried trying to a find hidden meaning behind his words. She tried to forget how he look at her. How his breath felt against her neck. But it seemed the harder she tried to forget the more vividly she remembered._

_Elena's thoughts turned Stefan. Just thinking his name made her heart hurt. Why he didn't come for her? He had his free will back so he could have come. Logically she knew Klaus would have killed him if he had. It was fact that he hadn't even tried is what hurt the most. She wondered if Stefan even cared about her anymore. Was anything they had real? Maybe they both running from the ghosts in their past, her parents death and Stefan's guilt. Maybe they just found comfort in each other to forget the pain_

_Elena's thoughts turned to all the things she had left behind in Mystic Falls. Her life had changed so drastically that it almost made her head spin. Elena tripped over a rock and fell into the stream. She gasp as rocks scrapped over her hands. She got up and examined her hands and was happy to see they weren't bleeding to bad._

"_Great, just fucking great' she mumbled to herself. She looked around trying to find her bearings. She couldn't have been in the woods for more than an hour but cocoon of branches and leaves made it seem much later in the day._

"_Where the hell are they?"_

_Elena was about to start heading in the other direction, when a flash of movement caught her eye. About a hundred feet in front of her were two men. Then in a blink of an eye they were twenty feet away from her. Hybrids._

"_Well well, what do we have here Dave? " The blond man said while looking her over like a piece of meat._

"_I don't know Eli. It looks like someone is trying to run away" said the man Elena assumed was Dave_

_Elena was about to protest, to tell them they were wrong, when they started circling her. As they kept getting closer sweat broke out on her hands and on the small of her back. Her mouth went dry. She felt trapped._

_Hey look, the little girl hurt herself falling down." Dave said sneering at her. She could see his yellow teeth though his greying beard that was covered in dried blood._

_Elena looked down at her hands and saw that they were starting to bleed a lot. She pressed them into her jeans trying to stop the flow of blood. She didn't want to give them a reason to hurt her. But looked like they didn't need a reason. They would do it for sheer pleasure._

"_Aww poor baby. Do you want us to lick it better for ya?" asked Eli._

_She couldn't just stand here and wait for them to kill her. "You guys have it wrong. I was just playing a game with Abby. She must have lost her way in all this" she gestured to the woods "So I am going to head back and meet her at the house... I am sure Klaus is home by now."_

_In truth she had no idea where Klaus was. She hated to hide behind his name but it was the only card she could play. They didn't even blink at her words and continued circling her, getting closer and closer. Elena felt her heart speed up. Her flight or fight response was going into hyperdrive. She knew she didn't have a snowballs chance in hell of fighting and if she ran they would chase her._

"_Whats going on here?"_

_Both Eli and Dave heads whipped towards the voice. She looked up and saw Klaus casually leaning on a tree watching them. His face gave away nothing. She never thought she would be so refiled to see him. She felt her heart rate slow a bit._

"_Nothing Klaus. We just found the girl trying to run. We were about to bring her to you." Dave answered like a child found with their hand in the cookie jar._

_For a long moment Klaus just stared at them. Elena was silently wishing that he would rip their heads off. Then he smiled. His grin was infectious, Dave and Eli soon smiled back. Elena remained frozen, waiting to see how all this played out. "We then brothers, it would seem that I have saved you a trip. Now could do me a favor and go check the south perimeter?"_

"_What about the girl?" Eli asked sounding like a kid who just found out there was no Santa Claus._

"_No need to worry mate" he turned to look at Elena. "I am more than capable of taking care of my girl."_

_In a instant the men were gone. Leaving Elena alone with Klaus. He wasn't smiling now. The silence was deafening. "Klaus..." Elena started but soon the wind knocked out her as she was slammed back against a tree on the other side of the stream._

"_I am confused, love. Did we not come to a agreeable arrangement?" He pushed her into the tree. He pushed her further into the tree causing Elena to cry out as bark dug into her back. "Do I not let you call your brother and your friends back in that pathetic little town. Now I find you here? Running from me !"_

"_I wasn't running, you asshole !" Elena yelled back. She had never seen him or anyone so angry. For some insane reason she wasn't scared of him. Klaus paused. Elena wondered if anyone had ever called him an asshole to his face. She figured Rebecca must have in one century or another._

"_Then why are you out here running around like a chicken with it's head cut off." He said still pushing into her personal space._

"_You taught Abby how to hide a trail and she wanted to see if she could do. Hence the game of hide and seek Elena. I don't know where she went."_

"_I sent her away with Jade and Adam. They told me about your little game." Klaus deadpanned._

_Elena pushed him away and tried to put some space between them "You are a total ass, you know that. If you knew what was happening than what the hell was all that about? Where did you send them?"_

_Klaus leaned back on the tree that she was just trapped on. "That my dear, was for show. I can't have anyone thinking I favor you. As for Jade and Adam well... I taught Abby well. It took me 10 minutes to find you. I am actually impressed with the girl"_

"_Well good for you" Elena replied sarcastically. Her breathing was returning to normal. She grimaced as the pain in her hands started to come back. Before she could think. Klaus grabbed her and sped back to the house. "Go to the study" he said over his shoulder as he walked away._

_Elena sat in the study, trying to settle her nerves. She had been really scared out there. Her hands were still shaking. She had been so relieved when Klaus showed up. It made her sick to her stomach. She chalked it up to the human desire to survive._

"_Fuck this! I didn't do anything wrong.''_

_Slowly she made her way over to the bar. It took a while for her to pour the drink, her hands were shaking so badly. Elena downed one and poured another. She turned and jumped when she saw Klaus sitting in a chair looking at her. She would have spilled her drink if he hadn't sped over and grabbed it before it hit the floor._

_She stared as he put the glass back in her hand. He stared right back at her, like she was a puzzle he couldn't figure out. After a moment he smirked at her and Elena let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "What a grand idea. You don't mind if I join you?" Klaus reached to the bottle behind her, passing impossibly close to her._

_Elena moved away from him and went to sit in the love seat. Klaus followed, scotch in hand, and sat in the chair in front of her as if he hadn't a care in the world. As after a few minutes, Elena was getting fed up with his silent treatment. "It wasn't their fault. We were just..."_

_Klaus held hand up to stop her from speaking. "I do not need excuses for them. Abby is a child, willfully ignorant of how things are around here. The fault lies with the others."_

"_Is that why you sent them away? So what are you going to do? Kill them?"_

"_The only people I currently thinking of killing those two morons in the forest" Klaus swirled the scotch around in his glass " and Stefan of course"_

"_Of course" Elena glared at him. Klaus only smiled at her reaction._

" _I fear that I have left you at a disadvantage, my dear. By not telling you, where you fit into things around here." Elena looked at him confused. "I have been trying to break the curse for a thousand years. Now, with your assistance of course, I am finally able to be as nature intended. However I am finding that leadership is presenting some interesting challenges."_

_Elena tried to focus on what he was saying but the sting in her hands was making it hard concentrate. "I don't understand why you are telling me this"_

"_Your ignorance is dangerous" He said as if he was talking about the weather. "The hybrids are a new species, still coming to terms with their nature. Abby takes to it so easily but I have come to realize that turning some the older werewolves was not a wisest choice. They are very set in the their ways."_

_Klaus looked are her, his expression unreadable. Elena felt her heart beat faster under his gaze. She squirmed in her seat, the pain in her hands momentarily forgotten. His eyes a held a hint of amusement at her reaction. "Werewolves are predatory creatures by nature. That situation in the woods could have ended very badly for you, but you already know this, don't you?"_

"_You would have killed them" She replied confidently. She wasn't naive enough to believe that it was because he cared what happened to her. The only thing he cared about was keeping her heart beating._

_Klaus smiled softly at her response. " I heard you say my name to them. Using it as a threat and you are right. I would have killed them if they touched you. I would have killed them slowly and enjoyed every minute of it." Elena ignored the thrill his words provoked in her. "The problem is that they don't response to words."_

_He tilted his head and continued deconstructing her with his eyes. "Aside from Tyler and myself, no one knows your part in the transformation. Although I think Abby knows more than she should. If the others knew I have no doubt that the more disgruntled members would try and kill you."_

"_What are you saying."_

"_You smell like prey. When you used my name as a threat it meant nothing to them because there was no physical proof that I would follow through."_

"_What are you saying?" She asked again._

_Klaus ignored her question, slowly got up form his seat and walked over to her. He looked down at her "You are hurt."_

"_I am fine." she replied quickly, uneasy with his proximity. He was so tall in comparison to her. She kept her eye on the floor and tried to control her breathing. His feet were bare again. What did he have against shoes?_

_Klaus trailed his hand down the side of her face to her chin and turned her to look at him. She met his eyes, unwilling to back down no matter how sacred she was. "You are hurt."_

_He kept his hand on her face, slowly running his thumb against her cheek. Then without warning he raised his other hand to his mouth and bit his wrist. He brought it down in front of her face. Elena could only stare at the wound as his blood dripped on the floor. His other hand went to the back of her head fisting in her hair. "Don't make me force you" he growled out._

_Elena tried not to gag as she put her mouth over the wound. The pain in her hands and legs disappeared in seconds but she couldn't stop drinking. The feeling was euphoric, she pushed his wrist harder into her mount. She moaned as he stroked the back of her head encouraging her to take more. She couldn't tell time, ten seconds or an a hour, nothing mattered. Eventually he moved his wrist away from her. Elena's mouth followed it, desperate for more, before reality came crashing down._

_Klaus came down to eye level in front of her. She met his gaze mortified about what she had just done. She waited for him to say something, some cruel or snide comment but none came. Instead he brought his hand to her mouth and stroked her lips. When he pulled away there was blood covering his fingers. He brought them to his mouth and licked them clean. Klaus leaned in and whispered "Your scent will change now. When they come close to you, they will know you are mine."_

_Elena bolted from the room. She climbed the stairs two at a time trying to put as much distance between them as possible. She was surprised when he didn't follow her. She slammed the door of her bathroom shut and locked the door._

"_What the fuck was that?' Elena whispered to the wall. When no answer came she turned around and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She walked closer and examined her reflection. Her hair was a mess and her mouth was covered in Klaus's blood. There was no way she could ever deny what had just happened._

_Elena tried not to hate herself as she ran her tongue across her lips, cleaning the last of his blood away._

* * *

><p>Abby pulled away from him. "How are you?"<p>

"A little confused to be honest."

Abby chuckled " You have no idea what it was like when you were gone. We almost tore each other apart." She looked out to the lake. "Jade and Adam are dead."

He looked over at her. He wanted to feel pity for her. For being thrown into a civil war at such a young age. He cared for her but he didn't feel pity. She survived and that was all that mattered.

Abby took a deep breath and turned to him "I don't want to add to your confusion but Elena told me to give this to you." she handed him a envelop. "She said it is what you were looking for."

Klaus stared down at the piece of paper. "When did she give this to you."

"A couple decades ago. I was surprised that she found me and she was a vampire no less. I had to keep my head down for the last couple decades. Turns out I was too young to play with the big kids."

Klaus smiled. "You look like your catching up."

"Indeed. She said it was for your eyes only. She figured that I could respect that. I have never looked inside."

"I don't doubt you" Klaus looked inside the envelope. It was an address, nothing else.

"So do you know what you will do now" Abby asked.

"I still need some answers."

"And you can't find them here, right?"

He shook his head, "No I can not. Even if I could, I am not sure that this something I want an audience to see."

"You could send them away. I doubt they will self destruct now that you are back. Give them a vacation or something. A reward for their loyalty."

"And what shall be your reward then" he asked smirking down at her.

She smiled up at him "I have a feeling this... this whole situation is much more complicated than it seems. Go figure it out. Call me, call us, when you need to. We will be here."

"Nothing for yourself?"

"Well ... I always wanted a pony."

Klaus laughed for the first time since he woke up.

* * *

><p>Tyler, Caroline and Elena stood in a empty hotel room.<p>

"So you know what's going to happen now? Are you sure you are ok with it. " Elena asked Tyler.

"Ya, I know. It will be ok." Tyler told Caroline who was looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"Ok then" Elena handed him a piece of paper with an address on it. "Try and stay safe."

Tyler smiled wearily. "I will, even though I won't remember you telling me to do it."'

Caroline moved in and hugged him. "I love you so much."

Tyler wrapped his arms around her waist. "I know. Stop worrying so much." Tyler laughed while smiling sadly at Elena over Caroline's shoulder. "Ok lets get this show on the road."

A woman came up to Tyler. Their eyes looked. The woman's eyes dilated compelling him. "You will remember Caroline. You will remember the time you lived with Klaus. You will remember Elena during that time. You will forget everything to do with Elena after that time. You will forget any conversation involving her. You will forget my siblings and I. As well any conversation involving us. You will go to sleep and when you wake you will proceed to the address on the paper"

Tyler went to the bed and went to sleep.

The three women watched him for a moment. Then walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>Klaus kept to the side roads. Normally he wouldn't be cautious. He would take some flashy car and travel down the highway at break necking speeds. But for now, he wanted to blend in. Who knows what he was driving into?<p>

Klaus finally felt he that he had some semblance of control in his life. His hybrids had come back to him. Their obedience was instantaneous. They were almost grateful to have him back. Perhaps because he was the only thing that kept them from destroying themselves. He remembered his words to them.

"_You have done well brothers. You have proven your loyalty and you have earned a reward. Go enjoy the world, anywhere your hearts desire will take you. We are kings amongst men. When the time comes, I will call you and together we will teach the the world to bow_."

He was King and answered to no one. Still, that didn't stop him from heading to the address that Abby had given him.

As he approached his destination, Klaus entertained the idea that Elena might be there. This would be the type of place she would choose. A typical boring small town. Somewhere where she cold make herself believe that she was normal. Something she never was and never will be. The thought went as quickly as it came. It would be too easy for him to find her here. Elena never made things easy for him.

He pulled up to a old farm house in the middle nowhere. He parked and slowly got of the car expecting the worst. When nothing happened he made his way to the door and attempted to cross the threshold. He was surprised when he could enter the house. As a hybrid he no longer needed an invitation to enter but his vampire side could always feel the mystical barrier. He walked in to the back to the kitchen. There was chili simmering on the stove. Someone had been there recently.

Klaus was trying to work out his next move when a figure raced past the back window. He flew through the back door and saw the movement about a 100 yards to his left. Instinct kicked in and he chased his prey into the corn field.

There was movement to his right and he sped over. Nothing. Movement in front of him. Nothing. To his left, Nothing but silence. Klaus roared in frustration. Then someone hit him from behind. He used his attackers forward motion to flip them over his shoulder and pin them to the ground. He was about to rip their throat out when red hair caught his eye. He hadn't seen that hair in over eight hundred years. He looked down at the child-like face beneath him. "Paige?"

"Hello big brother"

* * *

><p><em>Elena was grateful the others acted if nothing had happened. The only thing that had changed after the incident in the woods was Klaus. He was more present in her life, a constant shadow in the background. He would pass the doorway when she was hanging out with Abby or talking with Jade but he never engaged her directly.<em>

_Klaus took over the task of getting her blood donation. He would insert the needle in her arm and calmly wait for the bag to fill. Then he would cut his wrist and fill a glass with his blood. Elena took it from him every time. She couldn't help it. She wondered if this is what Eve felt like when she ate the apple. Elena doubted if the serpent was as good looking as Klaus. She dreaded and anticipated the weekly event in equal measure. She longed for the passion and desperation of the first time he gave her blood and she hated herself for wanting it._

_She never spoke to him during this time and he never tried to make conversation with her. It turned into a silent battle of wills. Each of them waiting to see who would talk first. It was a losing battle. He had so much more experience than her. Sometimes Elena would sneak a look at him and find him smirking. As if her silence amused him._

_Elena broke after four months._

"_Who was the first?"_

"_Who was the first what, love?" Klaus answered without even looking up from his book. As if he was expecting her question all along._

" _Well Katherine was the second, so who was?"_

_Klaus's fingers froze as he was turning the page. Elena felt her breath catch. Maybe she had pushed too far by asking about the past. But wasn't it her past too? She was trapped by it as much as he was. She had a right to know, didn't she?_

_Klaus sighed. "I only ever met her once. She lived in a neighboring village. When I was human, it was a privilege to go trade with other villages. I never went seeing as my father hated me even before he knew the truth of my parentage Instead Elijah and my three younger brothers were chosen. It is my understanding that Elijah was... quite fond of the girl."_

_Elena nodded. It made sense. When Elijah looked at her it was as if he didn't even see her but was looking at someone else. Someone that died over a thousand years ago._

"_So if you never met her before, what does she have to do with the curse?"_

"_She had the wrong blood." Seeing Elena's' confused expression Klaus continued. "The night of the full moon exactly one year after we turned into vampires my younger brothers David, Caleb and Rath ambushed me on Michael's orders. When I woke I found myself in a ring of fire"_

_Elena shuttered, remembering her own ring of fire the night of the sacrifice._

"_She was trapped in another ring beside me."_

**(a thousand years ago)**

**The girl saw Klaus wake up and gave him a sad smile. Then turned to look at Ester with disgust.**

"**You where a weak woman Ester"**

**His mother stopped her chants and looked at the girl "I am trying to make this right"**

"**Right would have been leaving the child with us when my brother ask you too. We would have borne him no ill will for the circumstance of his birth. Now you bend to the will of a man who was so cold he drove you to the bed of another. You are denying you son his birth right to satisfy that man. For what?"**

"**Honor must be restored"**

**The girl recoiled at Ester's words as if she been slapped. She and turned to Klaus. "I fear this might be the end of me" She paused listening to Ester's chants. Klaus tried to respond but no words came to his lips**

"**My brother should have taken you when you were born. He loved this excuse of a woman." She spat in Ester direction. " Love makes fools of us all. If you had lived with us you would have known what it was to be loved. To be apart of pack."**

**The girl kept looking at him even as Easter stopped chanting and started walking towards her. "This is only the beginning for you. For that I am truly sorry. None of this madness was your doing and never forget that. Never forget what you are. Never let them forget."**

**The girl kept her eyes on him even as Ester slit her throat.**

"_I killed my mother after that." Klaus finished with a dead voice._

_Elena didn't move. She had no idea what to do with this amount of honesty. It was so out of character. She was slowly losing her two demential image of Klaus. He wad more complicated than she could even imagine. When he talked she found herself sympathizing with the reasons behind his actions._

"_She was my biological father's youngest sister. My mother needed a sacrifice from his bloodline to bind the curse. In that one meeting, that girl showed me more loyalty and compassion than I had received in a lifetime."_

_Silence descended as Klaus finished his story. Elena felt that they frozen that way for an eternity. Finally Elena couldn't take it anymore._

"_What was her name?"_

_Klaus finally looked up from the book and locked eyes with her._

"_Elsbeth . Her name was Elsbeth."_

Paige dragged him back to the house. Going on and on about how fascinating this century was. Klaus was in shock and found himself nodding to her words without hearing them them.

He sat down at the kitchen table as Paige stirred the chili on the stove. "Can you believe it bother. Fire with no flame!"

Klaus smiled as Paige as she put a blow of chili in front of him. She had always enjoyed food. Even after they turned, she preferred it to blood. She drank blood to survive and eat food for pleasure. He humored her. There was no reason to tell her that he had not consumed human food in over a hundred years.

"How long have you been awake?"

"A couple months now"

"How. Who?"

Paige shrugged. "I am not sure. There were two vampires here when I woke. They told me what happened to you."

"What were their names?"

"Tyler and Caroline. They seemed to be of good character. Though the male smelled different." Paige glanced up at her brother. "He smelled like you. I assume he is one of yours then? Your hybrids. The family you so yearned for."

Klaus flinched inwardly at her words. He reached over and clasped Paige's hand in his. "I yearned for what was denied me, yes. It was that desire that blinded me from what I already had. Elijah and Rebecca. You. It has taken me a thousand years to realize that. Now the others are lost to us. Taken by the ultimate act of betrayal. I mean to take them back."

Paige took a bite of the chili in front of her and cleaned her hands with a napkin.

"Well brother, I believe I can help you with that. Elijah and Rebecca are down stairs."

Klaus starred at the coffins in front of him in disbelief. He glanced up to the top of the stares where Paige was sitting.

"Why haven't you awakened them?"

"And have the same thing happen all over again? No." Paige paused looking up at the window "I have come to love being alive again brother... I will not sacrifice my life so the family can wage war guilt free. I will not choose a side. I can't. It is your choice to end this or not."

Klaus starred at her for a moment then glance back at the coffins. He locked eyes with Paige as he reached down and grasped the two daggers.

Then he pulled them out.

_Klaus was beginning to take over her mind. The worst past was, Klaus was well aware of her growing fascination. She wouldn't go as so far to say that he was actively perusing her. Rather he had just stopped avoiding her._

_One night when she was coming down the hallway and ran right into him, landing on her ass. As she looked up at something primal stirred in her stomach, spreading down to her tows. Elena was never let herself look at Klaus as a human being. He was more of an abstract idea that she could easily hate. Now as he looked down at her she suddenly became aware of him as male. She blushed at her sudden revelation. Klaus helped her up without talking and just walked away with that slick smirk on his face. Like he knew something about her that she didn't. He had obviously heard her coming around the conner and made a point of blocking her path. Elena blushed and pushed the memory out of her mind . She tried to focus on the conversation at hand._

"_So is that why you dagger all of your family? They wanted revenge for the death of your mother?"_

_These conversations were becoming much more frequent. Elena was beyond pretending that she wasn't interested in hearing about his past; the places he had seen and the history he had been apart of. He seemed to talk to her out of sense of boredom. What she couldn't believe was that Klaus seemed to enjoy talking to her._

_Elena instinctively knew that that he rarely talked to anyone like this. If ever. Slowly he began to talk about his human life and his family. At night she would put the stories together, trying to get a better picture of him. Pieces to a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out. _

_Klaus shrugged. "Michael, David, Caleb and Rath never had any proof that I had killed her. Of course that didn't stop them from telling the others that I had. I made it seem that it was another ploy of theirs to tear us apart. That Michael, in fact had been the one behind mothers demise."_

_Elena gave him an expression that said of 'course you did' and he smiled at her. " I have always had a talent for survival. That doesn't leave a lot of room for morals. I have never pretended to be something I am not Elena. You of all people should know that."_

_She pushed that comment aside. She would analyze it latter._

"_Like Katharine?" she rebutted_

_He paused, thinking for a moment before responding." Exactly like her. Perhaps that is why she enrages me so. She shares some of my most brutal attributes."_

_Elena didn't know what to say to that and turned the conversation back to the original topic. "They bought your story then?"_

"_Rebecca always hated father, so it was easy for her to imagine him capable of murdering mother. Elijah had his doubts I am sure, but he never voiced them." Elena nodded at his words._

"_I believe you already know that there were seven of us. Elijah was the first born then myself followed by Rebecca. A few years later the triplets David, Caleb and Rath were born. By that time mother was almost 27 years of age. Well beyond prime child bearing years of the time. Three years later she became pregnant. Its was a long and difficult pregnancy. The babe came early. Mother and the child almost died during labour. Some how Rebecca and the midwife pulled them trough. Then there was Paige."_

_Klaus got up from his seat and walked over to the book case. Aimlessly running his hands against the the spine of the book. "Paige was the youngest; easily the family favorite. Even Michael soften towards her. As a human she had the ability to gage our emotions often putting her in the role of peacemaker. That ability only magnified when she turned."_

_Klaus went to stand by the window gazing out with unseeing eyes. " She once told me it was like having seven hearts inside her chest. Her own wants and desires were drowned out by all off ours. She could feel all of our emotions as if they were her own. The fracture in the family was literally tearing her apart."_

"_Psychical distance helped make the connection weaker. She chose to stay with Rebecca, Elijah and myself." He went over to the bar and poured two drinks. "I could spin tales for the others about mothers death. It never worked with Paige. She could sense my guilt,rage, betrayal and a dozen other emotions. She might have been the family favorite but I was hers. She would never betrayed me."_

_Elena took the glass of whiskey Klaus handed her as he sat down across from her. "Even now I can't imagine what it was like for her. To be totally immobilized by the emotions of others. After two centuries she disappeared for ten years. I was in Budapest when she found me. She had all seven draggers with her. I have no idea where she got them and she refused to tell me. "_

_Klaus looked at Elena with unreadable expression. "The chasm in the family was slowing engulfing her. Imagine trying to stay loyal to me while feeling the betrayal and hurt of the others. Her deal was simple. She would give me the daggers but only if I agreed to use one on her. She didn't want to live in a world when her family was at odds. She couldn't and I never really could deny her anything."_

_Elena was shocked. She had never heard Klaus about anything or anyone with this much affection. "So you killed her?"_

_Klaus took a sip of his drink. "She begged me too. It was a kindness really. She would have eventually gone mad. Besides it wasn't supposed to be permeant. However if I don't get my family back, it very well might be. Haven't you ever done something unthinkable to spare your loved ones pain?"_

_Elena froze. Her mind flashing back to the night she asked Damond erase Jeremy's memories._

"_Yes." she whispered in reply._

_She didn't even see him move until he was crouching down in front of her. He lifted his hand and put on her shoulder, slowly grazing down her arm; following a path that only he could see. The air was heavy and Elena felt as if she couldn't breathe. He took out the needle in her arm._

"_Well then, it would seem that we understand each other more then I thought."_

_She didn't reply as he strolled out of the room._

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for Klaus to educate Elijah and Rebecca about the events of the last century. They took it in stride. They didn't really dwell on being dead for a couple decades. It was a tiresome recurring of events. Being alive, then killed and being alive again. It easier to move on and forget. Besides there were bigger problems to deal with. Anything or anyone that could injure Klaus would undoubtedly be a threat to them.<p>

"Well brother it would seem that there is much more to this doppelganger then meets the eye." Rebecca said.

"Isn't there always." Elijah relpied standing by the doorway, stoic as ever.

Rebecca rolled her eyes in response. "Whats the plan then. Find her and kill her?"

"No." Klaus answered instantly. Elijah and Rebecca frowned at his tone. "We have more important matters to attend to first. Specifically the whereabouts of Rath, Caleb and David. Not to mention the witches managed to incapacitate me. They are a continuing threat and must be dealt with."

"Are you sure it is wise to wake them brother?" Elijah questioned speaking of their siblings. " They are not specially fond of you.

" Michael is gone and the curse is broken. There is no reason for them to attack me anymore. Eventually they will overcome the hate that Michael encouraged. I am not saying it will be prefect. We will never be close but I believe tolerance is achievable. " Klaus looked at Paige. "Regardless of whether or not we wake them. They are our blood. No one takes them from us." Klaus finished.

Rebecca stood up, obviously growing tired of the conversation. "Well the King has spoken." Klaus glared at her but she didn't even blink. " Just how should we go about finding them, then?"

"They are north of here." Paige said from across the room.

They all stared at her. Rebecca made a motion to question Paige but stopped herself. She remembered that sometimes their sister knew them better then they knew themselves. It was a little unnerving being reminded of the fact after so long.

"That means they have been awakened does it not? You wouldn't be able to feel them if they were still dead would you?" Elijah asked.

"To be honest brother, I don't know." Paige answered. "I was the first to be killed by a dragger. I have no idea if I would be able to sense you when you are dead. I felt Klaus awaken but I have always been able to feel strong emotions from all of you." She motioned to Elijah and Rebecca. "I felt always a faint humming when I was near you even when you slept. All I know is that there is a strong pull to the north. I can't tell you if they are awake or not."

Klaus looked at Paige considering her words. " It is the only lead we have. We will head north and see what we can find. Agreed?

"Agreed" They all replied in unison.

Just then a car door slammed from the front of the house. They all froze. Klaus was out the door first, closely followed by the others. There standing by his truck, stood Tyler Lockwood.

Klaus sped over to Tyler, grabbed his throat and slammed him to the ground. All Tyler could see was the yellow of his eyes as growled.

"Where have you been?"

Tyler struggled against Klaus's grasp trying to break the hold around his neck.

"Brother, killing him will make it difficult to get any answers" Elijah comment casually leaning against the porch railing.

Klaus loosened his grip.

"What the hell man!" Tyler yelled. "Whats your problem?"

"My problem? You must be joking."

Tyler put some space between him and his maker. " No, I am not. What's going on? Did something happen with the Cate's pack?"

"That was over seventy years ago! Would you be kind enough to tell me what the hell you have being doing since then?"

Tyler stopped in his tracks and stared at Klaus. "What are you talking about? That was two days ago."

Klaus tried to gage Tyler's answer. The boy was telling the truth or at least what he thought was the truth.

"Tyler, what year is it ?" Rebecca asked coming closer to the pair of arguing hybrids.

He whipped around at her question. He hadn't noticed she was there. " 2015."

"Well now, this is getting interesting." Elijah commented

" It is 2089" Paige said coming to stand next to Elijah.

Tyler look as if he was going to be sick. "Who are you?"

Klaus looked back and forth between them. "Tyler this is my youngest sister Paige. You don't remember her?"

Tyler stared at the girl and shook his head.

"You were here a few months ago. You and a blonde vampire. She talked at some length." Paige told him.

"Caroline?" Tyler whispered

"Yes your little blond barbie." Rebecca snapped. "Any idea where she is, love? I would so like to say hello."

"Don't threaten her" He warned in a deadly voice stepping towards the original.

"This is getting us nowhere. The boy as obviously been compelled." Elijah commented not particularly interested in the matter.

"Come here." Klaus rolled his eyes at Tyler's hesitation. "Come" Klaus looked into his eyes and reached into his mind. There was nothing. A black wall. He grunted in frustration and pushed harder.

Wisps of images passed by. Woods, running and fear. Caroline and Elena feeding . Elena yelling in pain. Before he could make sense the images he was pushed out of Tyler's mind.

Klaus stubbled back gasping for breath. "I can't break it the compulsion."

"What?" Elijah asked coming to stand next to Klaus and Rebecca. "How is that possible?"

"Let me try" Rebecca pushed Klaus aside and looked into Tyler's eyes. After a few minutes she stumbled back. "My God."

Elijah repeated the process with no success. Tyler started to fidget, uncomfortable with three Originals staring at him. "Some one want to fill me in?"

They all looked at each other, clearly uncomfortable with providing any information that could be used against them.

"We can compelled anyone with the exception of witches. Natures way of keeping the balance. " Paige said as she made her way into the circle. " I can't compelled another Original but I can break any compulsion they place on anyone. The fact that your compulsion can't be broken means that someone stronger then a Original placed it on you."

"And is a very de-stressing." Klaus said running his hands through his hair in a shockingly human manner.

"So what now?" Paige asked her siblings.

"I see no reason to change our course action." Elijah told the group.

"I agree. Traveling north is the only lead we have." Rebecca directed her response to Klaus.

He turned back at his family. They were all looking at him expertly, clearly waiting for him to make a decision. Even Elijah stayed quite. Klaus was shocked, normally they would fight him every step of the way.

Looking at the situation though, he supposed it only made sense that he take the lead. There was something out there that could potentially be a threat to an Original. He had always been the most ruthless when dealing with an enemy.

"We go north and we keep going until we have some answers." Klaus came to stand behind Tyler, grasping the back his neck as he spoke. " And that means, my friend, you are coming on a little road trip. Won't that be fun?"

They were stopped at nowhere gas station in a nowhere town. They needed to feed. With out any food it was difficult to tolerate each other's company after three days of non stop driving. Klaus didn't want to stop but he couldn't make a convincing argument to the others.

As he looked up to the darkening sky he wished for what seemed like the thousandth time they could have taken a plane. Sadly Paige could not sense the others from 30,000 feet.

His mind wouldn't stop working. Elena haunted his thoughts. Trying to figure out what the hell she wanted was exhausting. It was all so elaborate. So well planned out. He was obviously a player in whatever game she was playing. For the life of him he couldn't figure out the rules. He was going to make her pay for this. No one played him. Ever.

"Good meal?" Klaus asked Tyler as he approached wiping the blood from his month.

"Ya." Tyler paused. He didn't want to anger Klaus by asking questions but he couldn't help himself. " You not going to eat?"

"No"

Over Tyler's shoulder he saw Paige watching him with her unnerving eyes. " Why don't you grab something else to eat, mate? It is going to be a long drive and I don't want you to get peckish."

Seeing that he was being dismissed Tyler left with out question. Klaus found it hard to be angry at he boy. He was still loyal to a fault. It seemed like a waste to punish him for something he couldn't even remember. Tyler was the first hybrid he created. Klaus would be lying if he said he wasn't a little soft for the boy.

_No_. Klaus mused. _I will save my punishment for someone more desirable. _Klaus smirked at the thought and turned to face his sister.

"Paige."

"Brother" she kept her eyes fixed on him. Dissecting him with her gaze.

"Penny for you thoughts?"

"Who is Elena?"

"She is the Petorva doppleganger." Klaus answered nonchalantly .

Paige stepped closer to her brother. " I know what she is, I meant WHO she is."

Klaus clicked his tongue. "Careful little sister, you are treading in dangerous waters. Do not doubt my joy at your return." Klaus pulled on a piece of her hair that had sprung loose. "But some things are better left unsaid."

Klaus saw the others returning. He tried to stepped away but Paige grabbed his arm pulled him close. "And somethings, brother, are more dangerous if you don't recognize them for what they are. "

Klaus watched his sister walk away from him with dark eyes.

* * *

><p>"<em>You didn't really expect me too fall for that did you? I know you won't hurt Damon while I have you family. What would stop me from pitching them into to the sea?" Stefan said, his voice hollowed out by the speaker.<em>

_Klaus glared at the phone. "Come now Stefan. It was an honest try. Why don't we end this game. You give me the coffins back and I will let your girlfriend go."_

"_Elena? And why should I care what you do with her?"_

_Tyler paced in front of the desk listening to Klaus negotiate with Stefan. He wanted to rip out his throat. Maybe it was the whole sired thing but he generally wanted to kill anyone that crossed Klaus. The fact that Stefan was a spineless jerk didn't help maters._

"_You love her remember?" Klaus played with his drink. "She is your reason for living. The reason you refused to turn off your emotions. The reason you loath your very nature."_

_Stefan laughed. "Well you took care of that didn't you?"_

"_Yes I did. And this is how you repay my kindness?"_

"_Your wrong Kluas. She wasn't the reason I refused to turn off my emotions. It was because you. You ordered me around like I was at dog there to perform tricks for your amusement. I should thank you. Now I am finally what I was always supposed to be."_

"_A suicidal vampire?" Klaus asked._

"_Free. I am free of all the guilt. Elena is only a constant reminder of how pathetic I was. So keep her."_

"_I still doubt that you would wish her harm."_

_Stefan laughed again. " We both know you won't hurt her and you will never let her go. So lets stop pretending."_

_Tyler stared at the phone in disbelief. This guy was unbelievable. Not only was he pissing off the strongest being on earth but he was openly goading him to hurt Elena. The study walls felt like they were closing in on him as he thought of Caroline. When you love someone it was for life. There was no one else. No exceptions. Stefan obviously didn't feel the same._

"_There are many ways to case pain my friend." Klaus threatened._

"_I don't really care."_

_Suddenly a thought came to Klaus. He shrugged it couldn't hurt to give it a try._

"_Perhaps it is time for me to focus my attention elsewhere, then? Settle some old scores. I hear Katerina is running around France."_

_Silence_

"_Aahh now this is interesting. It would seem that I have the wrong doppleganger."_

"_She has nothing to do with this"_

"_Do you think you could get to her before I could Stefan? Do you think you could make Katherine scream like I could? I wonder if she sounds same as Elena."_

"_Do whatever you want. You will anyway."_

"_Somehow I don't really believe your indifference Stefan. You may have been using Elena to pass the time but your not one to share your toys."_

"_Your wrong."_

_Klaus paused for a moment. "So it doesn't bother you that I have been feeding her my blood?"_

_Silence._

"_That's what I thought. You should smell her now. So sweet. Such enthusiasm in that one. So compliant that she practically purrs as she swallows."_

"_Well I am glad for you. But you should be careful. The girl has a short attention span." Stefan replied in a bitter tone._

_Klaus stood enraged. He slammed his chair against the wall breaking it into a thousand pieces. "Stefan I want the coffins!"_

_Tyler looked around there was something off. Forgetting the conversation at hand he stood up looking for the cause._

"_And I want you to feel as I did. It is you turn to be the dog. Well, I guess you kind of already are, but you get my point." Stefan growled._

"_Stefan..."_

_Dial Tone._

_Klaus laughed despite his annoyance about having the phone hung up on him. It was shocking to him that Katherine, of all people, was the key to getting under Stefan skin. He was finally making some head way._

_Of course it would be pointless to try to capture Katherine. She had a habit of escaping and Stephan was undoubtedly calling to warn her at this every moment. It didn't matter. He had found a weak point. Now all he had to do was push._

_Wanting to share his excitement he looked at Tyler but froze at his expression. He was looking at something through the doorway but Klaus couldn't see because of the angle. Then he heard light footsteps speeding up the stairs. A door slammed._

_Klaus felt his temper flare. "How long..."_

"_I have no idea. I was concentrating on the conversation. I didn't notice." Tyler replied gazing at Klaus like a deer in headlights._

_Klaus took a deep breath as something very close to shame washed over him. There an ache that he didn't understand was slowly building in his gut. So he did what he always did when he was confused. He got mad._

"_Get everyone out of the house."_

"_Where ..."_

"_I don't care where you go, Tyler. Just go." Klaus growled in a deadly voice._

_Klaus stayed in the study listening as Tyler round up the others. He stared out the window his drink long forgotten. He kept telling himself that this shouldn't matter. That he shouldn't care. It meant nothing. Except it did._

_Once the house was emptied he allowed his anger to boil over. He threw his glass against the wall. He left the study, sped up the stairs and busted through the doors._

_Elena was sitting on the bed with her head in her hands Desperate not to allow herself feel the pain that was building._

_It was almost bearable here. If she kept busy and had a few drinks she could almost forget she why she was here. Almost._

_As Elena let herself remember it wasn't hard to come up with someone to blame. This was all Stefan's fault. She groaned. Oh God Stephan. How could he say those things? How could she have been so stupid to have loved him? He cared more about that bitch Katherine than her. Elena's heart clenched with physical pain as she realized all she had been a replacement fuck._

_If he hadn't taken the coffins she wouldn't be here. Klaus had never gave any indication that he wanted to take her a way from Mystic Falls. This, all of this, only happened after Stefan pissed him off._

_As hard as she tried Elena couldn't keep her rage focused on Stefan. All the things Klaus had said seemed more important. She felt sick as she realized that his words hurt more. All the things he said were true. She was 'compliant'. Acting as if she could gain some sort of freedom in exchange for good behavior. Acting as if she had a choice in any of it._

_Elena couldn't breath. The most pathetic part was that she had let herself enjoy it. Let herself be seduced by his stories. Lulled into submission by his charm and mystery. His blood. Oh God his blood! Even the thought of it made her heart beat faster and her mouth water. There was some much power in it. She had played right into his hands._

_She looked up when Klaus bursted into the room. Their eyes met and neither moved. What was there to say?_

_Elena broke first and jumped off the bed putting as much space between them as she could. "Get out."_

"_Elena..._

_She grabbed the vase off the night stand and threw it at him "I said get out!"_

_He growled in warning. "Elena..."_

_She looked around for something else to throw at him. Finding nothing she turned back shouted. "What? What are you going to do Klaus? Kill me? Give me more blood so I keep being a good little pet?"_

"_I hate to break it to you love but it doesn't work like that. As much as you would like to believe otherwise vampire blood doesn't make a person submissive. Anything you did, you chose to do it."_

"_Chose! You think I chose this? You took me away from everything. You did! You dragged be away from everything I knew. From everything I loved. What choice was there in that."_

_Klaus stared at her but said nothing. They both knew that she was leaving things out. She chose to stop trying to escape. She chose to care about Abby and the others. Just like she chose to stop fighting him. She chose to listen to his stories and, even though they pretended otherwise, she chose to drink his blood._

"_It stops now! I won't do it! I refuse." She screamed at him._

_Klaus sped over to her before her screaming could stop resinating in the room. Elena leaned back on the dresser for balance. He was impossibly close to her. All she could she were his yellow eyes filled with a barely controlled rage. All she felt was her heart beating uncontrollably and the his breath against her neck._

"_Nothing stops"_

_Elena was defiant as she glared up at him showing no fear. She was so small compared to him and was practically begging for him to break her. Klaus felt his fangs lengthen at the thought. She would be so beautiful when she screamed._

_As he continued to look down at her Klaus felt something inside shift. Something impossible, irrevocable and instinctual. In horror he realize it was the wolf. His wolf. He had never felt it fight for control like this before. Even on the night of ritual. It was practically crawling to get out of him. To make Elena scream in a entirely different way._

_Klaus knew he needed to put some distance between them before he did something he couldn't take back. Still, he couldn't bring himself to step away from her. The wolf demanding to touch her. He dropped his head down to her neck and put his hands on her thighs pulling them around his legs. He inhaled her scent and Elena practically panted underneath him. Inside, the wolf rejoiced at her reaction._

_Time stopped and the moment seemed to stretched on forever. Finally, somehow Klaus got control of himself._

"_Nothing changes. Nothing." He said stepping away from her._

_Elena glared at him refusing to acknowledge what had just happened._

"_Go to hell." She spat._

_Klaus eyes flashed yellow and he smirked remembering the last time she said those words to him. "Only if your there love."_

_Then he was gone. Elena let the tears come._

* * *

><p>They sped down the highway bathed in moonlight. The others had allowed themselves to fall asleep in the back of the van. None of them need to sleep of course, but it was a fairly efficient way to pass the time.<p>

Klaus ignored the way Paige would keep glancing over at him from the passenger seat. The memories of Elena washed over him in waves and he felt his rage build. There were other emotions there as well but he had always been more comfortable with rage. It was safe and predictable.

"Have you decided?"

He made a indistinguishable noise in response to her question. After a moment Paige tried again. "Have you decided what you are going to do when you see her."

He clenched his jaw as the question still hung heavy in the air. He had been so focused on finding out what the hell was going on that he hadn't even thought about it.

Just as Paige thought she wasn't going to get an answer Klaus replied. " Scream. I am going to make her scream."

Klaus finally managed to fall asleep. He didn't need it but it was the only way to stop thinking. Paige said that they were getting close. In a few hours he could be facing his brothers for the first time in centuries. God knows they have enough reasons to hate him. If he was anything, he was a realist. This would not be a happy reunion.

He had been trying to kill Michael for centuries. All in the hope that his family could finally move beyond the hate. Which he caused. Now Klaus couldn't care less. He found himself wishing that all this could be postponed. It seemed like a bothersome chore. Preventing him from pursuing more pressing matters.

He wanted to find Elena. He had no idea where she was but had no doubt that he could catch her. He NEEDED to find her. It was an instinctual need that burned in his entire body. Seeping into to his very bones. The burning was steadily building to a almost unbearable intensity. Klaus refused to analyze what it could mean.

Briefly he wondered if Elena felt it too. If she felt the same pull for him. The idea that she was suffering brought him great pleasure. He could not allow her to hold any power over him. He was in control. Period. He knew that this heat wouldn't go away until he had her. Elena will bend to his will one way or another.

He woke just as they passed the_ Welcome to Chicago_ Sign.

And so it begins.


End file.
